Conventionally, seed and/or fertilizer are fed down common tubes to be deposited together unsegregated and comingled within the furrow. It has been found that the application of fertilizer too close to the seed causes burning or killing of the seed during germination or during the initial growth stage of the seed.
It has been found to be advantageous to place the fertilizer in a deep band beneath the seed so as not to burn the seed and to enable the roots of the seed to grow downward into the fertilized soil band for maximum growth.
Although it is relatively easy to construct a special or custom planter that has the capability of applying fertilizer in a deep band below the seed, it has been found difficult to provide a simple attachment to the seed boot of a hoe type seed drill without extensive modifications of the seed drill that is capable of accurately applying the fertilizer at the proper depth.
Examples of custom design drill devices for applying fertilizer in a deep band beneath the seed line are disclosed in the following U.S. patents: Brunner, U.S. Pat. No. 2,159,652 granted May 23, 1939; White, U.S. Pat. No. 2,351,173 granted June 13, 1944; Bridger, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,418 granted Mar. 19, 1974; Buchele, U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,036 granted July 14, 1981; Kopecky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,530 granted Nov. 29, 1983; Kopecky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,141 granted Jan. 21, 1985; Dreyer, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,507, granted Apr. 8, 1986; and Kopecky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,581 granted Aug. 26, 1986.
Several devices have been envisioned for attaching to the rear of a furrow opening point for applying fertilizer below a seed line. Representative of such devices are shown in U.S. patents issued to Welty, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,058,539 granted Oct. 27, 1936; Brannan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,567 granted Sept. 30, 1975; and Demzin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,875 granted June 21, 1983. Additionally, there are a number of devices for applying liquid or dry granular fertilizer at various depths in which fertilizer tubes are principally mounted to the back of soil opening points. Such devices are illustrated in the following patents: Shelton, U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,985 granted Jan. 10, 1967; Meiners, U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,685 granted Aug. 13, 1968; Brannan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,657 granted Sept. 20, 1971; and Dietrich, Sr., et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,294 granted June 3, 1986. However, none of the above devices are intended or designed for attachment to the seed boot of a hoe type seed drill for applying liquid and dry granular fertilizer in a deep band beneath the seed that is deposited through the seed boot as positioned between the split packer wheels.
On occasion, farmers would attach fertilizer tubes to the rear side of the seed delivery tube or boot for the purpose of dropping fertilizer onto the ground over the seed bed. Recently, Mr. D. E. Wilkins, an agricultural engineer with the Columbia Basin Agriculture Research Center associated with Oregon State University in Pendleton, Oreg. developed what is termed the "Wilkins" deep furrow opener for placement of fertilizer utilizing a split packer wheel seed drill in which the furrow opening point is attached to the seed boot or tube of the seed drill. In the Wilkins' configuration, the fertilizer tube extends downwardly along the rear or back of the furrow opening point but in front of the seed boot for attempting to space the liquid fertilizer in a deep band below the seed. Although the device has been partially successful, it has several disadvantages and is erratic in performance. It is found that frequently the furrow does not fill up over the fertilizer and the seed drops into the deep portion of the furrow causing the seed to burn from the liquid fertilizer. This device does not have the capability of applying dry granular fertilizer below the seed. Additionally, it is found that the fertilizer tube would wear very rapidly and had to be frequently replaced. The Wilkins' deep furrow opener is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 876,047, filed June 19, 1986, entitled "Placement of Fertilizer Below Seed With Minimum Soil Disturbance".
One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a furrow opening point that is attachable to the seed boot of a hoe type drill to enable the seed drill to apply both liquid and dry granular fertilizers in a deep band below the seed. The invention is particularly applicable to "no-till" or "minimum till" operations.
A further object of this invention is to provide a furrow opening point that is capable of applying both liquid and dry granular fertilizer in a deep band below the seed in which the furrow opening device accurately fills the furrow over the fertilizer prior to the application of the seed so that the seed is separated and above the fertilizer. This invention separates the seed and fertilizer into two bands that are separated by sufficient soil distance to stimulate growth without interfering with seed germination to maximize yield. Furthermore, the furrow opening point displaces the vegetation on the surface of the soil in a "no-till" atmosphere and prevents the vegetation from interfering with the accurate formation of the furrow or the application of the fertilizer or seed.
These and other objects and advantages of this invention would become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment.